Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

My students make this barbecue sauce every month in my Southern-barbecue classes. It is the only red sauce that we make in the class, and we always double the recipe because the class slathers it on everything! This sauce has been printed in many places and thousands of students have the recipe, but I couldn't write a sauce chapter and not include it here. The Dr. Pepper gives this sauce an edge over most basic sweet barbecue sauces.

Preparation

1. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the flavors have blended. Continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper if desired. Remember, the ribs will have plenty of spice rub on them, so don't overseason the sauce.

2. Let the sauce cool for about 10 minutes or until it is warm but no longer "boiling" hot. Puree with an immersion or traditional blender-this will make the sauce thicker. Let cool. The sauce will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

3. Brush it on food 5 to 15 minutes before the cooking time is finished. If desired, serve extra on the side.

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Recent Review

How is it that I've never reviewed this recipe before? I've made this sauce for years. We love it with Memphis-style baby back ribs (which means they're no longer really Memphis style -- but that's the kind of rub we use. We serve the sauce on the side). I add a tiny bit of ground chipotle powder to echo the smoke in the ribs. I've seen versions of this where the Dr. Pepper was doubled and then reduced by half, the brown sugar was halved, and a cup or so of dry rub was added. I might try some of those tweaks as well...but this sauce is great as written. I do smooth it out with a stick blender sometimes, too.